Jan-Lennard Struff, comes back from two sets to one down to defeat a vulnerable Joao Sousa and so Germany secures a spot in next year’s Davis Cup World Group for the 13th consecutive year.
By Giovanni Vianello
The match begins with nine straight games for Struff, who clinches therefore a 6-0 3-0 lead, with the German who is in absolute control of the match. Sousa, at this point, turns around the match-momentum and breaks back the opponent, tying the game count to 3-3 in the second set.The Portuguese then ties up also the sets count, by winning the second set 7-3 in the tie-break; no other breaks have been seen in the second set.
Joao Sousa, with a sparkling third set, gains afterwards a 2 sets to one lead, by winning the third 6-3 and playing brilliantly. Struff, on the other hand, looks a little down, after an overwhelming start.
The fourth set is a thriller. Struff reaches immediately a 2-0 advantage, but then gets counter-broken. The set ends in a tie-break, which sees the Portuguese player having a match-point on the score of 6-5 on Struff’s serve. The German, although, with a serve and volley cancels the match-point and eventually wins the breaker 8-6. The match, therefore, goes to the deciding set, like yesterday’s doubles.
Even the fifth set opens up with the German player having a 2-0 lead, but Sousa then ties up to 2-2. The match gets afterwards on serve until the 4-4, when Sousa, like in yesterday’s doubles, again gets down a break, this time with much more danger at stake, since Struff at this moment can serve for the match and for the Tie. The German player shows no mercy and in the tenth game holds serve and so Germany wins the Tie, remaining in the Davis Cup World Group for a 13th consecutive year. While Portugal will stay in Zone Group one.
